ALCOCHOLISM THE CAUSE OF AN ADMISSION IN A MEDICAL HOSPITAL WARD

By ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ ΧΡΗΣΤΟΥ

Abstract

THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO ASSESS THE PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS WHO ARE ADMITTEDTO A GENERAL HOSPITAL UNDER PHYSICIAN'S CARE AND WHOM THE PRINICIPAL AETIOLOGIC FACTORS TO THEIR ILLINESS IS ACHOHOL. WE HAVE STUDIED 1660 CONSECUTIVE IN PATIENTS DURING AN EIGHT MONTHS PERIOD. BETWEEN THEM 107 PATEINTS WHO WERE DRINKING MORE THAN 60 DAYS ALCOHOL PER DAY WERE CONSIDERED AS ALCOHOLICS. WE HAVE FOUND THAT 1 IN 15 IN PATIENTS (6.45%) IN OUR DEPARTMENT ARE ALCOHOLICS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PERCENTAGE WAS NOT ONLY THEORETICAL BUT ALSO PRACTICAL VALUE. THE TOXINS EFFECT OF ALCOHOL IN THESE 107 PATIENTS WAS EXPRESSED AS A PROBLEMFROM GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM (52.33%), NERVOUS SYSTEM (5.6%) AND RESPIRATION SYSTEM WITH NOTE THAT "HEAVY" DRINKERS WERE AND "HEAVY" SMOKERS.